How to Clean a Laptop Screen with Household Products
Create a Cleaning Solution
1. Create a gentle cleaning solution. The ideal solution is plain distilled water. If more heavy cleaning is needed a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and distilled water can also be effective. (*- Manufacturers no longer recommend using any cleaners with alcohol, ammonia or any strong solvents on LCD screens.
2. Put the solution in a small atomizer bottle, the type that you push from the top to get a fine mist. Don't use this to spray on the screen itself, however.
3. Apply a minimal amount of the solution to very soft cloth such as a cotton cloth (e.g. an old T-shirt), a lint-free microfiber cloth, a disposable cloth (such as a soft, non-woven compress or disposable wipe from the drugstore with no cleaning agents added) or similar. A large cloth (or several disposable wipes) is best, since it will help to reduce the risk of leaving streaks across the screen from finger pressure. Do not make the cloth wet, only moist. A wet cloth can drip or run when cleaning the screen and the solution can weep behind the bezel and permanently damage your screen!
4. Wipe the cloth against the screen in a circular, or other consistent motion. Rapid circular movements generally eliminate streaks. Apply a gentle and even pressure to the cloth. Use only enough pressure to keep the cloth in contact with the screen. Take care not to press your fingers into the cloth or screen. Applying too much force when cleaning the screen can permanently damage the LCD matrix rendering your screen unusable.
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Tips
- Tissues, napkins, and other paper products will leave flakes of paper on your monitor. It's better to not even try using them. They can contain wood fibers and may even scratch polished surfaces.
- NEVER spray ANY solution directly onto your screen! The edges of LCD and Plasma screens have electrical connections on them. Any solution that drips or runs down the screen can short out or otherwise permanently damage your screen! ALWAYS apply your solution to your cleaning cloth ONLY!
- You don't want mineral spots on your screen, so don't use tap water.
- If you're a photographer, you can use your lint-free lens wipes instead of a soft cotton cloth.
- If you have lens cleaner for eyeglasses, check the back to see if it contains "Isopropanol", if it does don't use it on your LCD monitor.
- If you apply too much of the solution and it is drippy or too damp, wipe it off with a soft cloth and apply less.
- Clean and then let it soak for a little an then repeat. Be patient with hard to clean spots